Can of candy mistaken as bomb in Makati, hotline 117 flooded with prank calls

A can of candy left at a waiting shed on Ayala Avenue, Makati was mistaken as a bomb yesterday, reports ABS-CBN News. The waiting shed is located in front of the SGV I building, across Ayala Tower One which houses the Philippine Stock Exchange’s primary trading floor.

A Jayross Bus conductor was said to have given the can to traffic enforcers and the Makati police sent a bomb squad to the area.

Meanwhile, there were also bomb threats at the Parañaque City Hall, the Marikina Justice Hall, the Lyceum Law School in Makati and a building on Roxas Boulevard, according to ABS-CBN News. Police said the emergency hotline 117 has been flooded with prank calls, including bomb threats.

Out of the estimated 13,000 calls per day received by the hotline, only two percent were made by those in need, Senior Superintendent Benjie Magalong said yesterday. "Every call has to be validated. We have to take it seriously," he said, following the bus explosion on EDSA near Buendia on Tuesday that left five dead and 14 injured.

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda told ABS-CBN News, "It’s very unpatriotic (to) sow fear and spread hoaxes at this time. We assure the public that we have instituted strict security measures."